Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jan 7;22(1):67.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph22010067.

Implementation Outcomes and Recommendations of Two Physical Activity Interventions: Results from the Danish ACTIVE SCHOOL Feasibility Study

Lise Sohl Jeppesen  1   2 , Jesper Sandfeld  3 , Søren Smedegaard  4 , Glen Nielsen  1 , Mathias Brekke Mandelid  5   6 , Malene Norup  2 , Jacob Wienecke  1 , Anna Bugge  2
Affiliations

Implementation Outcomes and Recommendations of Two Physical Activity Interventions: Results from the Danish ACTIVE SCHOOL Feasibility Study

Lise Sohl Jeppesen et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) should be an essential part of all children's lives, as it can promote physical and mental health, enhance general well-being, and positively impact learning outcomes. Schools offer an ideal setting to encourage physical activity during the school day, as nearly all children attend school. However, schools present a complex environment for implementing PA, and sedentary behavior is common in classroom teaching. This study explores the feasibility of two types of school-based physical activity interventions: one based on research in exercise and cognition (Run, Jump & Fun) and another grounded in embodied learning (Move & Learn). Run, Jump & Fun can be conceptualized as extra non-curricular physical activity implemented into the school day while Move & Learn is integrated into curricular time. The 8-week study involved third-grade students and their teachers from seven schools, with educational strategies applied to support adoption. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected before, during, and after the 8-week period. The results indicated that both interventions were feasible to implement, leading to a series of recommendations for further refinement. These recommendations can guide the development of future school-based PA interventions and inspire other researchers to assess and improve their implementation strategies.

Keywords: children; health interventions; learning; primary school; teachers.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
RJF deliverers’ Usage Rating Profile-Intervention (URP-I) subscale scores.
Figure 2
Figure 2
ML deliverers’ Usage Rating Profile-Intervention (URP-I) subscale scores.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The adoption of RJF by teachers in weeks 1–8. Adoption: Did you implement RJF sessions this week?
Figure 4
Figure 4
Average sessions’ duration for every week in minutes for ML and RJF.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The adoption of ML by teachers in weeks 1–8. Adoption: Did you implement ML sessions this week?
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Janssen I., LeBlanc A.G. Systematic review of the health benefits of physical activity and fitness in school-aged children and youth. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act. 2010;7:40. doi: 10.1186/1479-5868-7-40. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ahn S., Fedewa A.L. A Meta-analysis of the Relationship Between Children’s Physical Activity and Mental Health. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2011;36:385–397. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsq107. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Li J., Shao W. Influence of Sports Activities on Prosocial Behavior of Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Literature Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2022;19:6484. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19116484. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Liu M., Wu L., Ming Q. How Does Physical Activity Intervention Improve Self-Esteem and Self-Concept in Children and Adolescents? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE. 2015;10:e0134804. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134804. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Singh A.S., Saliasi E., van den Berg V., Uijtdewilligen L., de Groot R.H.M., Jolles J., Andersen L.B., Bailey R., Chang Y.-K., Diamond A., et al. Effects of physical activity interventions on cognitive and academic performance in children and adolescents: A novel combination of a systematic review and recommendations from an expert panel. Br. J. Sports Med. 2019;53:640–647. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-098136. - DOI - PubMed